Public concerns on overcapacity, labor and drug prices addressed

Departments and ministries under the State Council, China's Cabinet, have responded to a wide range of public concerns during the past week, including the increasing demand for labor, overcapacity in the coal and iron industries, violence against doctors, abnormal fluctuations in drug prices, and red tape in foreign exchanges.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said the demand for labor rose in April in nine provinces as well as two municipalities, Shanghai and Chongqing, with a notable increase in the number of newly hired employees in local companies.

The ministry has been investigating the labor market in the 11 regions on a monthly basis since 2011, with a focus on the interaction between a wide range of jobseekers and employers. The tertiary sector (services) continues to attract more job-hunters compared with the first (agriculture) and second (manufacturing) sectors, said April's report.